Fall is pretty much behind us, and the Taylor School District is turning its eyes to winter athletics.Truman boys' varsity basketball opens on December 6 by hosting Kennedy. The combined swimming teams open at the Downriver Relays on December 10. Truman bowling opens on December 6 at Woodhaven, while Kennedy opens at Wyandotte on the same day.All games and dates are tentative. For a look at the end winter sporting schedules, click here.

Mrs.
Collin's fifth-grade class at Randall Elementary School read together the book “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio.

Toward
the end of the story, the following quote is shared in a speech:
"Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right using of strength...
He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts..." (Henry
Ward Beecher).

After
we finished reading the book, we discussed the quote's meaning and
how it applied to the book's main character, Auggie. August (Auggie)
Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a
mainstream school. Auggie is just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. After
the class had their discussion, students worked on a reading response
writing activity then wrote their final copies on images they created that
resembled the book's cover.

Eureka
Heights Elementary School families were treated recently to a night of STEM fun
with a twist.

The
evening started with pizza. After dinner, parents were able to listen to
Community Care Services talk about how they, as parents, can help build
strong families. They also discussed how to access Community Care
Services at the school.

Community
Care Services has partnered with several schools in the Taylor School District
and is able to provide counseling services on site for students who are in need
of someone to talk to about any issues that they may be facing. Eureka
Heights is one of these schools.

While
the parents were listening to Community Care Services, the students were
learning how to apply engineering principals to solve problems of a STEM kind.
They learned to ask questions, imagine possibilities, make a plan, create using
their plan, improve on their plan, and communicate with others.

After
20 minutes, the families got back together and got a chance to use what
they had learned about problem solving. Each family was given a bag of
recycled materials from Arts & Scraps and had 20 minutes to create the
tallest tower using only the materials provided in the bag.

It
was an engaging activity that got all family members problem solving and
working together. The winning families received a prize!

There
will be another “Building Tall Towers and Strong Families” STEM night at West
Middle School at 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29.

If
you are interested in attending this event, you don't have to have a child at
West to attend. Please RSVP to 313-295-5749 ext. 12165
by Monday, November 28. Please leave a message with your name, phone number,
and number of people attending. We will be providing a pizza dinner.